Purchase College vs. Chatham

Should I go to SUNY at Purchase College or Chatham University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Purchase College or Chatham is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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SUNY at Purchase College vs. Chatham University comparison
SUNY at Purchase College Chatham University College 3 College 4
SUNY at Purchase College Chatham University
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Overview

Purchase College Chatham
Location Purchase, NY Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 3,229 2,319
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #297 #326
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu chatham.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Purchase College Chatham
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $42,250
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $42,250
Room & Board $15,400 $14,324
Avg Net Price $18,651 $29,051
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $27,984
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 100%

Admission

Purchase College Chatham
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 4,169
Admitted 5,259 2,923
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 70.1%
Enrolled % 14.8% 11.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.86
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 23/27
SAT Range 1178/1363 1070/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Purchase College Chatham
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Purchase College Chatham
Graduation Rate 56% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $211

Diversity

Purchase College Chatham
% Men 1% 7%
% Women 1% 28%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 72%
% Black 10% 10%
% Hispanic 18% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 5%

Students

Purchase College Chatham
% In-State 78% 65%
% Out-of-State 21% 32%

Campus

Purchase College Chatham
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than Chatham based on total student enrollment (3,229 students vs. 2,319 students)

Purchase College vs. Chatham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Chatham?

  • Chatham University is 497.6% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($42,250.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 148.8% higher at Chatham than SUNY at Purchase College ($42,250.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Chatham ($18,651 vs. $29,051)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chatham University are 7.5% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($14,324 vs. $15,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chatham University than SUNY at Purchase College (100% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chatham University students is 190.7% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($27,984 vs. $9,627)

Purchase College vs. Chatham Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Purchase College or Chatham? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Chatham or Purchase College .

  • Accepted freshman Chatham students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than Chatham (70.1%)

Purchase College vs. Chatham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College or Chatham? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Chatham and Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Chatham is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (60% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from SUNY at Purchase College earn on average $3,500 more per year than Chatham graduates after ten years. ($40,200 vs. $36,700)
  • Chatham University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,500)
  • Chatham graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($211 vs. $232)
  • More Purchase College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Chatham students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/